scofield



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

L. SCOFIELD.

CHECK ROW ATTACHMENT FOR CORN PL'ANTBRS. No. 318,042. Patented May 19, 1885.

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Attorney/J u. PETERS. mmumw, mam n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. SCOPIELD.

011301: ROW ATTACHMENT FOR 00m: PLANTERS;

No. 318,042. Patented May 19; 1885.

QM J M flttarney UNTTE STATES PATENT OFFICE,

LEVI SCOFIELD, OF GRAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHAL- LENGE QORN PLANTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CHECK-RUW ATTACHMENT FOR CORN-PLANTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,042, dated May 19, 1885.

Application filed November 25, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI ScorIELD, of Grand Haven, in the county of Ottawa and State of Michigan, have invented certain new useful Improvements in Check-Row Attachments for Oorn-Planters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act statement of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a well-known form of check-row attachment, and Fig. 2 a view of the bracket ordinarily used in effecting the connection between the vibrating arm of the check-rower and the seed-slide; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the improved means which I employ in substitution for the device shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 4; and 5 represent modifications of my invention.

In the practical application of an ordinary check-row attachment, such as that shown in Fig. 1, to a corn-planter the problem of adjusting the stroke of the check-rower with the stroke of the slidebar that operates and controls the seeding mechanism is a perplexing one, and a proper adjustment cannot be usually secured without the assistance of an expert or skilled mechanic. The difficulty experienced in the matter is due largely to the fact that in some corn-planters the slide-bar is given a throw or stroke of, say, two and onehalf inches, while in others it is only given a stroke of, say, one inch and ahalf, this diver sity of movement requiring the check-rowers 3 5 to be made so as to be applicable to all classes, and consequently rendering it necessary to separately adjust each one to the machine with which it is connected. The usual manner of connecting is to takea bracket, such as 0 shown in Fig. 2, and attach it to the slide-bar b of the planter in any suitable manner, as by bolts or clips. This bracket has aslot, a, that receives a pin, 0, which projects from the side of the vibrating arm cl of the check rower, the

5 said pin in turn being so supported on a movable section, 0, of the arm as to be capable of adjustment up or down in order that a short or a long stroke may be given. The pin is adjusted on the arm so as to give just the stroke required. The latter must be determined with (N0 model.)

certainty, for if it is made too long the contrivance will not work atall, and if too short it is apt to cause a mistroke, resulting in a failure to operate the seeding-plates. After the pin has been positioned just right the bracket is placed on the slide-bar and the latter is thrown to the limit of its stroke in one direction, after which the check rower is thrown to the limit of its stroke in the same direction with the pin in the slot of the bracket, and the bracket is made fast to the slidebar. If everything has been done just right, the check-rower will now properly operate the slide-bar; but, so far as my observation has extended, nobody has ever been able to adjust the parts correctly the first time, it even taking an expert considerable time to get them in such running order that the slidebar will have a full stroke both ways.

Appreciating the immense amount of worry 7o and annoyance caused by the above-described manner of effecting an attachment of the checkrower to the planter, I have devised a new mode of connection, according to which any person, however inexperienced, cannot fail at the first trial to secure the requisite adjustment for perfect work; and to this end my invention, concisely stated, consists in combining with the reciprocating slide-bar or seed-slide and the vibrating part of the check-row at tachment adjustable stops mounted upon and moving with the slide-bar and cooperating with the vibrating part of the check-row attachment, whereby by setting the said stops against the vibrating part of the check-row at- 8 5 tachment, when said vibrating part and the seed-slide are at their extremes of movement in both directions, the proper action of the seed-slides is insured whether the stroke or movement of the vibrating part of the check- 0 row attachment be equal to or greater than the stroke of said slide-bar. To illustrate this, let it be supposed that I have a planter in which a slide-bar requires a throw of two and one-quarter inches to properly operate the seed-dropping devices. \Vith such a construction it will of course be necessary for the pin on the vibrating arm of the check-rower to have a vibration of at least two and one-quarter inches. If more than that it matters not.

The check-rower is first fastenedto the planter in the usual manner, then the arm carrying the pin is moved to its full extent in one direction, and the slide-bar to its full extent in the same direction. This being done, a stop or hearing of any suit-able kind is secured firmly to the slide-bar, with its side abutting against the outside of the pin of the checkrower. This determines the stroke of the bar in one direction. As the next step, the checkrower pin is vibrated to the other extreme of its movement, after which the slide-bar is then also moved to the limit of its stroke in the same direction, and another stop orbearingis firmly secured to the slide-bar, with its side abutting against the outside of the said pin. This determines the stroke of the bar in the other direction, and solong as the position of the stops or hearings on the bar remains unchanged the stroke of said bar will always be full and complete whenever the check-rower is operated. In effecting this adjustment 1' t will be seen the length of the stroke of the checkmower cuts no figure so long as it is as long as the stroke of the slide-bar. The essential part to be operated is the slide-bar, and it is only necessary to its perfect operation that it be carried to the limit of its stroke in both directions and no farther. In the case supposed, therefore, whether the pin on the check-rower arm moves two inches and a quarter (the stroke of the slide-bar) or three inches or more its effect upon the slide-bar is the same, for it cannot by any possibility move the latter beyond the points where it stood when the stops or bearings were applied.

Simple as my invention appears to be, it is in fact a very important practical improve ment in the handling and adjustment of checkrowers; and I believe it to be no exaggeration to say that hundreds of farmers can by means of it easily adjust a check-rower to a cornplanter who could never adjusta check-rower at all where the form of brackets shown in Figs. 1 and? was used.

In carrying out myinvention the adjustable stops or bearings may be constructed in an infinite number of forms and connected to the slide-bar in any way that will answer the purpose. Any stops that will offer a bearing for the pin of the vibrating check-rower arm, and that can be adjusted independently on the slidebar, and be secured rigidly to said bar at the points of adj ustment,fulfill the requirements.

In the accompanying drawings Ihave shown three forms of stops constructed in accordance with my invention. That shownin Fig. 3consists of a couple of brackets, FF, having faces ff, against which the pin on the vibrating arm of the check-rower is adapted to alternately strike, so as to throw the slide-bar back and forth, and having adjustable clips G, by which they may be secured at the desired points of adjustment firmly to the slide-bar H.

From the preceding description relative to the setting of the stops at the proper points on the slide-bar the manner of applying these brackets will be readily understood, it being borne in mindthatthefacesff of thebrackets constitute the stops or bearings for the pin of the check-rower, and that they have to be so positioned as to come at the extremes of stroke of said pin.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4E thetwo brackets or stops are not both mounted directly upon the slide-bar, but one is mounted adjustably upon the bar and the other one adjustable on the first, as shown. Either arrangement fulfills the requirements of the invention, as both stops or bearings are capable of inclependent adjustment with respect to the pin of the check-rower and to the slide-bar.

As an obvious equivalent of my invention bar, and an adjustable actuating device, ad-

justable in bot-h directions, placed upon the vibrating arm of the check-rower, as shown in Fig. 5.

I am aware that prior to my invention a check-row attachment has been devised con sisting of a wheel or pulley rotated bya checkrope, a pitman connected to a crank-wrist on said wheel, and having mounted upon it adjustable plates, which co-operate alternately with opposite sides of a vibratorylever,which in turn is connected by a rod or pitman to a vibratory dropper lever which actuates the slide-bar; and I therefore do not desire to be understood as claiming such a construction.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new isp 1. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the reciprocating slide-bar or seed-slide and the vibrating part of acheck-row attachment, of adjustable stops mounted upon and moving with the slide-bar, and cooperating with the vibrating part of the check-row attachment, whereby by setting the said stops against the vibrating part of the check-row attachment when said vibrating part and the seed-slide are at their extremes of movementin both directions the proper action of the seedslides is insured, substantially as described.

2. In a corn-planter, the combination, with the slide-bar, of an adjustable bracket mounted on the slide-bar, and a second adjustable bracket adj ustably mounted on the first-1nentioned bracket,and havingits bearing-face that constitutes one of the stops or bearings for the pin of the check-row attachment adjustable with reference to the face of the other bracket that constitutes the opposite bearing for said pin, substantially as described.

LEVI SCOFIELD.

Vitnesses:

GEo. STIOKNEY, XV. M. SAUNDERS. 

